Coil forming apparatus



Nov. 29, 1960 H. o. DURHAM con. FORMING APPARATUS 4 Shee ts-Sh eet 1 I I Filed June 20, 1958 INVENTOR.

HENRY O. DURHAM HIS ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1960 H. o. DUI'RHAM COIL FORMING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed June 20, 1958 INVENTOR.

. HENRY O. DURHAM HIS ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 20, 1958 INVENTOR.

FIG. I4

HENRY O. DURHAM HIS ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1960 H. o. DURHAM 2,962,076

COIL FORMING APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIGJ3 53 INVENTOR.

HENRY o. DURHAM HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent COIL FORMING APPARATUS Henry 0. Durham, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to James Equipment Company, Inc., Greenhills, Ohio, :1 corporation of Ohio Filed June 20, 1958, Ser. No. 743,327

14 Claims. (Cl. 1536) This invention relates to a coil forming apparatusand more particularly to a coil form-ing apparatus used in forming a coil for the insertion thereof into slots of an electric machine, but the invention is not so limited.

This invention relates to the copending application Serial No. 486,126, of Robert B. James, filed February 4, 1955, now Patent No. 2,841,200, the assignee of which is the same as the ass-ignee of this application.

An object of this invention is to provide a coil forming apparatus that spreads a coil to the proper width and twists or deflects the sides of the coil so that the sides of the coil have the proper angular relationship to fit radially into slots of an electric machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coil forming apparatus having means for motor operation thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coil forming apparatus having means for forming coils of various sizes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coil forming apparatus having means for forming coils having a small spacing between the coil sides.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coil forming apparatus from which a formed coil may be easily and readily removed.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof, the method of manufacture, and the mode of operation, as will become Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line" 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view taken substantially on line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of reduced dimensions showing a typical coil after it is formed by a coil forming apparatus of this invention.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the coil sides of a coil may be radially formed by the coil forming apparatus of this invention.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which coil sides of a coil may be radially formed in a coil in which the spacing between coil sides is rather small.

Figure 9 is an end view showing some of the elements of a coil forming apparatus of this invention.

Figure 10 is an end view similar to Figure 9 showing the movable elements thereof in different positions.

Figure 11 is an end view similar to Figures 9 and 10 of operation.

Patented Nov. 29, 1960 Figure 12 is an enlarged view taken substantially on line 12-l2 of Figure 9.

Figure 13 is a side view, somewhat enlarged, showing a slide bar or auxiliary carriage member of an apparatus of this invention.

Figure 14 is an enlarged side view of the parts shown in the left hand portion of Figure 9.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a coil forming apparatus of this invention includes a pair of angularsupports 20 which are adapted to be rigidly secured to a work table or to a work bench or to any other suitable support structure. Only one of the angular supports 20 is illustrated, the left-hand member being omitted from Figures 1 and 3.

Intermediate the angular supports 20 is a support block 21. Horizontally mounted between each of the angular supports 20 and the support block 21 is a rail member 22.

"Movably supported upon each rail 22 is a carrier block is a post 26.

A support bracket 28 is slidably attached to each of the posts 26 and is vertically movable thereupon. To each of the support brackets 28 is rigidly attached a knuckle holder or coil end holder 30. Each of the knuckle holders 30 is adapted to retain an end portion of a coil memher during the forming thereof. The knuckle holder or coil end holder 30 is preferably of the type disclosed in said copending application 486,126 but may be of any other suitable type.

Vertical movement of the knuckle holders 30 during the coil forming operation is obtained by means of fluid motors 31, each of which has a piston rod 29 attached to one of the movable support brackets 28. Movement of each knuckle holder 30 is limited by means of adjustment stops 33 which are attached to each post 26 for engagement by the support brackets 28. The adjustment stops 33 are preset as desired for forming any given coil.

Each of the fluid motors 31 is provided with a pair of fluid inlet conduits 32, there being one fluid inlet conduit adjacent each end of each fluid motor 31, so that each knuckle holder 30 may be either raised or lowered by means of the fluid motors 31.

The coil forming apparatus of this invention includes means for expanding the distance between the sides of a coil and for twisting or deflecting the sides of the coil into proper predetermined angular relation. 1

Attached to the support block 21, adjacent the upper portion thereof, are horizontal support plates 34 and 35 which extend at opposite sides of the support block 21 and are normal to the rails 22, as best shown in Figure 4. A carriage member 36 is movably mounted upon the support plate 34. The carriage 36 has a yoke 38 attached thereto by means of adaptors 39. The yoke 38 engages the bottom surface and side edges of the support plate 34, as best shown in Figure 3. The carriage 36 extends'substantially normal to the support plate 34 and is thus laterally movable upon the support plate 34, as shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4.

At one end of the carriage 36 is a vertically extending plate 40. At the other end of the carriage 36 is a vertically extending plate 42. Supported at the upper portion of the vertical plate 40 is a slide bar or auxiliary carriage 50. The slide bar or auxiliary carriage 50 ismounted within a recess in the plate 40 and is slidably retained therein by means of a retainer plate 52, as shown in Figures 5, 9, 10, 11, and 12.

The slide bar or auxiliary carriage 50 adjacent its inner end is provided with an end portion 53 having a hole 54 therethrough, as shown in Figure 13. Within the hole 54 is rotatably disposed a shaft 56. The slide bar 50 is also provided with an opening 58, shown in Figure 13, within which is mounted a pin 60, as shown in Figures 4, 9, l0, and 11. The pin 60 has an arcuate gear member 62 attached thereto so that the gear 62 is rotatable with respect to the slide bar 50. The gear member 62 is disposed between the slide bar 50 and a link 64. t The retainer plate 52 has an arcuate recess 65 therein to receive the gear member 62 when the slide bar 50 is positioned toward the left, as shown in Figures 9 and 10. Pin members 66 secure the gear 62 to the link 64 so that the gear 62 is nonrotatable with respect to the link 64. The link 64 is pivotally attached by means of a pin 68 to an arm 70. The arm 70 is pivotally attached by means of a bolt 72 to the vertical plate 42.

The gear member 62 is in meshed relation with a gear member 74 which is nonrotatably attached to the shaft 56 adjacent the end thereof. A collar 75 retains the gear 74 upon the shaft 56.

At the end of the carriage 36 opposite the vertical plate 40, the vertical plate 42 supports a slide bar 80 which is disposed within a recess covered by a retainer plate 82, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The slide bar 80 has an opening therein similar to the hole 54 of the slide bar 50 within which is rotatably supported the opposite end of the shaft 56. Any suitable bearing means may be used within the holes of the slide bars 50 and 80 .for journalling the shaft 56.

Nonrotatably attached to the shaft 56 at the end thereof, carried by the slide bar 80 is a gear member 84 which is retained upon the shaft 56 by means of a collar 86 as best shown in Figures 1 and 3. The gear member 84 is in meshed relation with a gear member 88 which is rotatably supported within an opening in the slide bar 80 which is similar to the opening 58 shown in Figure 13. which is similar to the link 64 shown in Figures 4, 9, 10, and 11.

The link 90 pivotally connects to a pivotal arm 92 which is similar to the pivotal arm 70 shown in Figures 9, l0, and 11. The arm 92 is pivotal about a bolt 94 which is attached to the vertical plate 42 of the carriage member 36. Thus, it is understood that the mechanism which includes the gear members 84 and 88, the link 90, and the arm 92 is similar to the mechanism described above with respect to the gear members 62 and 74, the link 64, and the arm 70.

A carriage member 100, best shown in Figure 1, is supported upon the support plate 35 in the manner discussed with respect to the support plate 34 and the carriage 36. Thus, the carriage emmber 100 is slidable upon the support plate 35 toward and away from the carriage member 36.

The carriage member 100 is provided with a vertical plate 102 at one end thereof and a vertical plate 104 at the other end thereof. The vertical plate 102 is provided with a slide bar or auxiliary carriage member 106, as best shown in Figures 9, 10, and 11. The slide bar 106 is held in a recess of the vertical plate 102 by a retainer plate 107.

A shaft 110 is rotatably supported by the auxiliary carriage member 106 in a manner similar to that discussed with respect to the shaft 56 and the auxiliary carriage member 50. A gear member 112 is nonrotatable upon the shaft 110 and retained thereupon by a collar 113.

The gear 112 is in meshed relation with a gear member 114 rotatably carried by the slide bar or auxiliary carriage member 106. The gear member 114 is rigidly attached to a link 116 which is pivotally attached by means of a pin 118 to an arm 120. The arm 120 is pivotally carried by a bolt 122 which is attached to the vertical plate 102.

The vertical plate 104 at the end of the carriage member 100 opposite the vertical plate 102 has a slide bar or auxiliary carriage 128 upon which the shaft 110 is rotatably supported. A gear 130 is nonrotatably t mounted upon the shaft 110 and is retained thereupon The gear member 88 is also supported by a link 90 CJI.

by a collar 131. The gear is in meshed relation with a gear 132 which is similar to the gear 114 at the opposite end of the carriage member 100. A link 134 is firmly attached to the gear 132 and is pivotally attached to an arm 138. The arm 138 is pivotally carried by a bolt 140 which is attached to the vertical plate 104.

Mounted upon the shaft 56 are a pair of clamping units or assemblies which are adjustably secured thereto by means of attachment blocks 154. Each clamping assembly 150 includes a fluid motor 158 which is pro vided with a piston rod 160 and a movable jaw 162 which cooperates with a stationary jaw 164, as best shown in Figures 4, 9, l0, and 11. Each fluid motor 158 is held by amounting bracket 165 which is attached to its respective stationary jaw 164.

The shaft member 56 is rotated by means of a crank or lever arm attached thereto at the end thereof, as best shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4. A fluid motor 171 having a piston rod 172, shown in Figure 3, pivotally attached to the crank arm 170, operates the crank arm 170. The fluid motor 171 is carried by a bracket 173 which is pivotally supported by a bolt 174 which enters the vertical plate 40, as shown in Figure 3.

The pivotal movement of the lever arm 170 is adjustably limited by means of a rod member 176 which is threaded a portion of the length thereof and is provided with a pair of adjustment nuts 178. The adjustment nuts 178 are adapted to engage an abutment plate 180, which is shown as being integral with the bracket 173, to limit the pivotal movement of the lever arm 170 as the lever arm 170 is actuated by the fluid motor 171.

The clamping assemblies 150 are adapted to clamp one side of a coil, such as a coil 182, shown in Figure 2, for forming the coil into a shape such as that shown in Figure 6. The other side of a coil, such as the coil 182, is clamped by a pair of clamping units or assemblies 183 which are similar to the clamping units or assemblies 150.

Each of the clamping assemblies 183 is operated by means of a fluid motor 184 held by a bracket 185 which is rigidly attached to a stationary clamping jaw 186. Each of the clamping assemblies 183 is also provided with a movable clamping jaw 187.

The clamping assemblies 183 are adjustably attached to the shaft 110 by means of attachment blocks which are similar to the attachment blocks 154 of the clamping assemblies 150.

The shaft 110 is rotatably operated by means of a fluid motor 198, shown in Figure 4, which is pivotally carried by the vertical plate 102. The motor 198 has a piston rod 202 which is pivotally connected to a lever arm 200 which is attached to the shaft 110 for rotative movement thereof. The rotative movement of the shaft 110 is adjustably limited by a threaded rod 204 which is similar to the threaded rod 176, discussed above. A pair of nuts 206, shown in Figure 4, are threadedly attached to the rod 204 and are positioned on either side of an engagement plate 208 through which the rod 204 slidably extends. The threaded rod 204, in cooperation with the nuts 206 and the engagement plate 208, limits the amount of rotative movement of the shaft 110 as the shaft 110 is operated by the fluid motor 198.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 4, the carriage membars 36 and 100 may be simultaneously moved toward and away from each other by means of a fluid motor 210 which is carried by a bracket 211 which is attached to the carriage member 100. Attached to the carriage 36 is a brace member 212, shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4. through which is rotatably carried a threaded rod 213 having a head 215 and a sleeve 209. The sleeve 209 engages the brace member 212 on one side thereof. A collar 207 is attached to the rod 214 at the other side of the brace member 212 in engagement therewith. The sleeve 209 and the collar 207 retain the rod 214 against axial movement through the brace member 212.

jaws of the clamping members.

The rod 214 is freely axially movable througha vertical bracket 216 which isattached to the bracket 211, as shown in Figure 4. Slidably resting upon the bracket 211 is a square nut 205 which is threaded upon the rod 214. The nut 205 is held from rotation by the bracket 211. The nut 205 is slidable upon the bracket 211 as the rod 214 is axially moved.

The fluid motor 210 has a piston rod 213 directly above the threaded rod 214 and parallel'therewith, as shown in Figure 4. The piston rod 213 is threadedly attached to the brace member 212.

When the rod 214 is rotated by means of the head 215, the rod 214 is threadedly adjusted with respect to the nut 205. The nut 205 thus determines the amount that the carriages 36 and 100 move one from the other upon actuation of the fluid motor 210.

In order to insure that the carriages 36 and 100 always travel simultaneously and equal distances upon actuation of the fluid motor 210, a pair of rack gear members 217 are provided, there being one rack gear member 217 attached to the yoke (such as the yoke 38, shown in Figure 3) of each of the carriage members 36 and 100. An idler pinion gear 218 is rotatably mounted upon a plate 219 within the support block 21 in meshed relation with the rack gear members 217, as shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4. The rack gears 217 may slide upon the plate 219, as shown in Figure 3.

The fluid motor 210 has a pair of fluid ports 220, one fluid port 220 at each end thereof, as shown in Figure 1, so that the fluid motor 210 may be operated to move the piston rod 213 either toward or away from the fluid motor 210.

Each of the fluid motors 158 and 184 is spring urged to deactuated position by means of any suitable resilient member within the cylinder of the fluid motor. Each of the fluid motors 158 and 184 is provided with a fluid supply line 222 for clamping operation of the fluid mot or.

As stated above, suitable knuckle holders 30 are adapted to retain the ends of a coil during the forming process thereof. forming process occurs, the shape of a typical coil 182 may appear as shown in Figure 2, as stated above. When it is desired to properly form such a coil, the clamping members of the coil forming apparatus are operatively positioned to receive a coil.

The coil 182 which is to be formed by the coil forming apparatus of this invention is positioned in the apparatus so that the two sides of the coil are disposed substantially in the same vertical plane. Thus, the carriage members 36 and 100 are disposed in adjacent relationship so that each pair of clamping assemblies 150 and 183 are adjacent the center portion of the coil forming apparatus and each of the clamping assemblies 150 and 183 is substantially in alignment with the posts 26. In this 'position, the clamping jaws 162 and 164 of the clamping assemblies 150 are disposed below the clamping jaws 186 and 187 of the clamping assemblies 183., p

The ends of the coil are carried by the knuckleholders 30. The clamping assemblies 150 and 183 are actuated by their respective fluid motors 158 and 184 so that the sides of the coil 182 are grasped by the clamping The fluid motor 210 is then actuated to move the carriages 36 and 100 outwardly from the center of the apparatus. If the spacing between the sides of the coil is to be comparatively small, the carriages 36 and 100 are moved a .small amount one from the other as shown in Figure 9. .If the sides of the coil are to be spaced a greater distance one from the other, the carriage members36 and 100 are moved a greater distance one from the other by means of the fluid motor 210 so that the clamping assemblies 150 and 183 may be disposed in the positions thereof shown in Figure 10. V

As stated above, the amount of movement of the carriage members 36 and 100 is limited by engagement O After a coil is wound and before the the nut' 205 of the rod member214 against the vertical bracket 216.

The sides of the coil 182' may be angularly deflected at any desired predetermined spaced-apart position of the clamping assemblies 150 and 183. When it is desired to angularly deflect the sides of the coil held by the clamping assemblies 150 and 183, the fluid motors 171 and 198 are actuated so that the crank or lever members 170 and 200 are pivotally moved.

Pivotal movement of the lever members 170 and 200 causes rotation of the shafts 56 and 110, respectively. As stated above, the amount of pivotal movement of the lever members 170 and 200 may be adjusted by means of the nuts 178 and 206, respectively. The nuts "178 and 206 may be so adjusted that one-of the shafts 56 or 110 rotatably moves a slightly greater amount than the other shaft in order to deflect the sides of the coil 182 so that the sides of the coil have a common axis, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, and so that thecoil may be radially inserted into radially extending coil slots of stators or rotors of electrical machines.

The coil sides of a coil 182 having small distance between coil sides may appear at the'angles a and -b shown in Figure 8 or at any other suitable angles. H

Figure 7 shows angles c and d formed by the sides of another typical coil 182 during operation thereupon by an apparatus of this invention.

Referring to Figures 10 and 11, rotation of the shafts 56 and 110 causes rotation of the gears 74 and 112, respectively, attached thereto. Of course, the gear member at the opposite end of each of the shafts also rotatably moves. With rotative movement of the gear 74, for example, the gear member 62 in mesh therewith also rotatably moves. Therefore, the link member 64 is caused to pivotally move about the pin member 68 which attaches the link 64 to the arm 70. Pivotal movement of the link 64 about the pin 68 causes a force to be exerted upon the arm 70. However, as a result of the difference in length between the link 64 and the arm 70 and as a result of the angular relationship between the link 64 and the arm 70, the link 64 pivotally moves more than the arm 70. Thus, the link 64 pulls upon the slide bar 50 during pivotal movement of the link 64 and causes movement of the slide bar 50 toward the carriage member Thus, if the carriage members 36 and 100 are stationary, the shafts 56 and are moved one toward the other during rotational movement thereof. Preferably, however, the carriage members 36 and 100 are moving during rotative movement of the shafts 56 and 110 by controlled operation of the fluid motors 210, 158, and 184. Therefore, there is a continuous axial movement of the shafts 56 and 110 one from the other with rotative movement thereof. Thus, there is an uninterrupted direct twisting movement of the sides of the coil as the coil sides are spread.

It is to be understood, however, that in forming a coil which is to have a small distance between coil sides,

, the carriage members 36 and 100 may be caused to re- 10 and 11, during rotation thereof, the clamping assembest shown in Figures 4, 9, 10 and 11, permit the clamping assemblies and 183 to remain in substantially the same spaced-apart relation during rotativemovement thereof. Thus, the axis about which each coil side is angularly moved or deflected extends parallel to the coil side and is close to or within the coil side, rather than through the shaft supporting the clamping assemblies. Preferably the axes of deflection of the coil sides are slightly closer one to the other than the coil sides. To obtain such spacing of the axes of deflection of the coil sides, the clamping members move slightly one from the other during the twisting or deflecting of the coil sides. With such spacing of the axes of deflection, the coil, after being formed, is easily removed from the clamping assemblies due to the fact that the clamping assemblies move slightly one toward the other when pivotally returned by the motors 171 and 198 to their normal positions after deactuation of the motors 158 and 184. The positions of the axes of deflection of the coil sides are determined by the selection of the proper comparative length between links and the arms and the, angular relationship therebetween.

Therefore, a coil having'small spacing between the sides thereof may have the coil sides twisted or deflected by the apparatus of this invention. Thus, the apparatus of this invention is capable of properly forming small coils as well as large coils.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Coil forming apparatus comprising support structure, a pair of carriage members movably mounted upon said support structure, means for moving each of said carriage members toward and away from the other carriage member, a pair of rotatable shaft members, there being one shaft member for each of the carriage members, each of the shaft members being rotatable about an axis normal to the line of movement of the carriage members, coil clamping means attached to each of the shaft members, means carried by each of the carriage members for supporting its respective shaft member so that the shaft member is laterally movable upon the carriage member, and means connected to each shaft member and to its respective carriage member causing lateral movement of the shaft member with rotation thereof.

2. Coilforming apparatus comprising support structure, a pair of carriage members movably mounted upon the support structure, each of the carriage members being movable toward and away from the other carriage member, a plurality of slide bar members, there being a pair of slide bar members slidably carried by each of the carriage members, a shaft rotatably carried by each pair of the slide bar members, each shaft being mounted upon its respective slide bar members normal to the line of movement thereof, each shaft thus being laterally movable as its respective slide bar members move, coil clamping means attached to each of the shafts, meshed gear means connected to each shaft and to its respective slide bar members, link means connecting the gear means to the respective carriage member so that the slide bar members move with rotation of the shaft carried thereby, and coil clamping means carried by each shaft.

3. A coil forming apparatus for use in spreading a flatly wound coil so that the coil can fit into radially directed slots, the combination comprising support structure, a pair of main carriage members attached to said support structure and reciprocally movable toward and away from each other, a plurality of auxiliary carriage members, there being at least one auxiliary carriage member movably attached to each of the main carriage members and reciprocally movable toward and away from the other main carriage member, a pair of shafts, the shafts being rotatably carried by the auxiliary carriage members,

there being one shaft for each main carriage member, each of the shafts being rotatable about an axis substantially normal to the line of movement of the auxiliary carriage members, a plurality of clamping members, there being at least one clamping member firmly attached to each of the shafts, and means connecting each shaft to its respective carriage members causing movement of each auxiliary carriage member with rotation of the shaft carried thereby.

4. Coil forming apparatus comprising support structure, a pair of carriage members mounted upon the support structure and reciprocally movable each toward and away from the other, a plurality of auxiliary carriage members, there being at least one auxiliary carriage member movably mounted upon each carriage member, each auxiliary carriage member being movable upon its carriage member toward and away from the other carriage member, a pair of shaft members, there being one shaft member for each carriage member, the shaft members being rotatably supported by the auxiliary carriage members and extending in a direction substantially normal to the line of movement of the auxiliary carriage members, a plurality of first gear members, there being a first gear member nonrotatably attached to each shaft member adjacent an auxiliary carriage member, a plurality of second gear members, there being a second gear member rotatably carried by each auxiliary carriage member in meshed relation with the first gear member which is adjacent thereto, a plurality of link members, there being a link member firmly attached to each second gear member and movable therewith, each auxiliary carriage member thus having a link member extending therefrom, a plurality of arm members, there being one arm member adjacent each auxiliary carriage member and pivotally attached to the respective carriage member which supports the auxiliary carriage member, each arm member also being pivotally attached to the link member extending from its adjacent auxiliary carriage member, a plurality of coil clamping members, there being at least one coil clamping member attached to each of the shaft members, means for causing rotative movement of the shaft members, rotative movement of each shaft member causing rotative movement of the first gear member attached thereto, such movement of the first gear member causing movement of the second gear member which is in meshed relation with the first gear member, movement of the second gear member causing movement of the link member attached thereto so that the link member exerts a force along the length of the arm member attached thereto and due to the fact that the arm member is only pivotally movable the link member forces movement of the auxiliary carriage member with respect to its carriage member.

5. In coil forming apparatus, support structure, clamping means for grasping opposite sides of a coil, carrier means supported by the support structure for moving the clamping means one from the other to spread the distance between the sides of the coil, and means connecting the carrier means and the clamping means for rotating the clamping means about axes extending longitudinally through the sides of the coil.

6. Coil forming apparatus comprising support structure, a pair of carriage members movably mounted upon the support structure, each of the carriage members being movable toward and away from the other carriage member, a plurality of slide bar members, there being a pair of slide bar members slidably carried by each of the carriage members in a direction parallel to the line of movement of said carriage members, a shaft rotatably carried by each pair of the slide bar members, each shaft being mounted upon its respective slide bar members normal to the line of movement thereof and adjacent the end of said slide bar members, each shaft thus being laterally movable as its respective slide bar members move, a plurality of first gear members, there being one first gear member nonrotatably attached to each shaft adjacent each of 9 the slide bar members, a plurality of second gear members, there being one second gear member rotatably attached to each slide bar member and in meshed relation with the first gear member adjacent thereto, a plurality of link members, there being one end of a link member attached to each second gear member and nonrotatable with respect to said second gear member, a plurality of arm members, there being one end of an arm member pivotally attached to the second end of each of the link members and pivotally attached at its second end to its respective carriage member, rotation of each shaft thus causing rotation of the first gear members attached thereto and rotation of the second gear members in mesh therewith, such rotation of the second gear members causing movement of the link members attached thereto, thus causing movement of the slide bar members which carry the second gear members, and clamping means attached to each shaft for pivotal movement as the shaft rotates.

7. Coil forming apparatus including support structure, a pair of main carriage members carried by the support structure and movable toward and away from each other, a pair of auxiliary carriage members slidably carried by each of the main carriage members and movable toward and away from each other, a pair of shaft members, there being one shaft member rotatably carried by the auxiliary carriage members of each of the main carriage members, each shaft member being rotatable about an axis which is angular with respect to the line of movement of the auxiliary carriage members, clamping means carried by each of the shaft members and rotatable therewith, first gear means attached to each of the shaft members and rotatable therewith, second gear means rotatably attached to at least one of the auxiliary carriage members and in meshed relation with the second gear means attached to the shaft member which is carried by the respective auxiliary carriage members, and linkage means connecting the second gear means of each of the auxiliary carriage members to its respective main carriage member, the auxiliary carriage members thus moving with respect to the main carriage members upon rotation of the shaft members.

8. Coil forming apparatus comprising support structure, a pair of carriage members movably mounted upon the support structure, each of the carriage members being movable toward and away from the other carriage memher, a plurality of slide bar members, there being a pair of slide bar members slidably car-ried by each of the carriage members in a direction parallel to the line of movement of said carriage members, a pair of shafts, there being a shaft rotatably carried by each pair of the slide bar members, each shaft being mounted upon its respective slide bar members normal to the line of movement thereof and adjacent the end of said slide bar members, each shaft thus being laterally movable as its respective slide bar members move, clamping means attached to each shaft for pivotal movement thereof as the shaft rotates, a plurality of first gear members, there being a first gear member nonrotatably attached to each shaft, a plurality of second gear members, there being one second gear member rotatably attached to each slide bar member and in meshed relation with the first gear member of the shaft carried thereby, a plurality of link members, there being one end of a link member attached to each second gear member and nonrotatable with respect to said second gear member, a plurality of arm members, there being one end of an arm member pivotally attached to the second end of each of the link members and pivotally attached at its second end to its respective carriage member, rotation of each shaft thus causing rotation of the first gear members attached thereto and thus causing rotation of the second gear members in mesh therewith, such rotation of the second gear members causing movement of the link members attached thereto, thus causing movement of the slide bar members which carry the second gear members, the link members being 10 so'connected tothe second gear members that the, slide bar members move toward each other as the shafts pivotally move the clamping means in a direction one from the other, the shafts thus moving laterally one toward the other as the shafts pivotally move the clamping means in a direction one from the other.

9'. In coil forming apparatus, a pair of main carriage members, a plurality of auxiliary carriage members, there being an auxiliary carriage member carried by each of the main carriage members, the auxiliary carriage member of one main carriage member being movable toward and away from the auxiliary carriage member of the other main carriage member, a pair of shaft members, there being a shaft member rotatably supported by each of the auxiliary carriage members, each of the shaft members being rotatable about an axis which is angular with respect to the line of movement of the auxiliary carriage member which supports it, clamping means attached to each of the shaft members for pivotal movement of the clamping means with rotation of the shaft member, means connecting each of the shaft members to its respective carriage members causing the auxiliary carriage member to move the shaft member toward the other shaft member as the shaft member rotates in a direction to pivotally move the clamping means attached to the shaft member in a direction away from the other shaft member.

10. In a coil forming machine, a movable carriage member, an auxiliary car-riage member movably mounted upon the carriage member, a clamping member for gripping a portion of a coil, said clamping member being rotatably carried by the auxiliary carriage member, the clamping member being rotatable about an axis angular with respect to the line of movement of the auxiliary carriage member, means connecting the clamping member and the carriage member and the auxiliary carriage member causing relative movement between said carriage members upon rotative movement of the clamping member, and means for gripping another portion of a coil, the clamping member being movable with respect to the last said means.

11. In a coil forming apparatus, support means, carriage means movably mounted upon the support means, a shaft rotatably supported by the carriage means, clamping means for gripping a portion of a coil, the clamping means being attached to the shaft, the shaft being rotatable about an axis angular to the line of movement of the carriage means, first gear means, the first gear means I being attached to the shaft and rotatable therewith, sec- 7 ond gear means, the second gear means being movably carried by the carriage means and in meshed relation with the first gear means, linkage means attached to the second gear means and movable therewith, the linkage means also being pivotally attached to the support means, the carriage means thus being movable with rotation of the shaft, and means for gripping another portion of a coil, the clamping means being movable relative to the last said means.

12. In a coil forming apparatus, a carriage member, a pair of auxiliary carriage members movably mounted upon the carriage member, a shaft rotatably carried by the auxiliary carriage members and extending sub-stantially normal to the line of movement of the auxiliary carriage members, first clamping means, the first clamping means being attached to the shaft, a pair of gear members, there being a first gear member nonrotatably attached to the shaft adjacent each of the auxiliary carriage members, a pair of second gear members, there being a second gear member rotatably carried by each auxiliary carriage member in meshed relation with the first gear member which is adjacent thereto, a pair of link members, there being a link member rigidly attached to each of the second gear members and movable therewith, and a pair of arm members, there being an arm member pivotally attached to each of the link members and pivotally carried by the carriage member so that upon rotation of the shafts the gear members move causing the link members to pivotally move and exert a pressure upon the arm members so that the auxiliary carriage members move with respect to their respective carriage members, and second clamping means, the first clamping means being movable with respect to the second clamping means.

13. In a coil forming apparatus, support structure, clamping means movably carried by the support structure for grasping the sides of a coil, and means connecting the clamping means and the support structure rotating the clamping means so that the coil sides are rotated about axes extending substantially longitudinally through the coil sides.

14. In coil forming apparatus, support structure, a slide bar movably carried by the support structure, a shaft rotatably carried by the slide bar and extending angularly With respect to the line of movement of the slide bar, a first coil clamping member for gripping a portion of a coil, the first coil clamping member being attached'to the shaft for pivotal movement with rotation of the shaft, a gear nonrotatably attached to the shaft, a gear 12 rotatably carried by the slide bar in meshed relation with the gear which is attached to the shaft, a link attached to the second said gear and movable therewith, an arm pivotally attached to the link andpivotally attached to the support structure, rotation of the shaft causing rotation of the gears and thuscausing movement of the link so that the slide bar is moved with respect to the support structure, the slide bar carrying the shaft therewith, the clamping member thus moving laterally a lesser amount with respect to the support structure than does the shaft as the clamping member pivotally moves with rotation of the shaft, and a second coil clamping member for gripping another portion of a coil, the first coil clamping member being relatively movable with respect to the second coil clamping member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,437,887 Cornstock Dec. 5, 1922 1,495,959 Mavity May 27, 1924 1,566,227 Pleasant Dec. 15, 1925 2,841,200 James July 1, 1958 

